Let's get physical!

How often do you work out?

I aim for 5-6 days per week, but that does not always happen.

Do you enjoy working out?

I used to hate anything athletic with a passion, but the older I get the more comfortable I am in my own skin, and making a fool of myself doing exercise. :-)

I am a member of Junior League and our theme this year is to get healthy and focus on health-related issues. So, I have started a log of what I eat and when/how long I workout. This will be even more beneficial when I begin to log in my physical activity and weight for the new Live Healthy Siouxland Challenge that members of JL are participating in.

I admit I really slacked on working out during December due to many, many fun digestive issues that are a nice little reminder that chemo wrecked havoc on my intestines and I will forever have to find ways to keep living life while spending many minutes in the potty. (Sorry, TMI, but that's my excuse.)

So, with that said here is my log of January activities and how I stay active during the freezing cold winter months in Iowa.

Jan. 1 - 30 minutes elliptical*

Jan. 2 - 60 minutes elliptical

Jan. 3 - 45-minute exercise class**, 20 minutes elliptical/free weights***

Jan. 4- 45-minute exercise class

Jan. 5- 30-minutes elliptical

Jan. 6- 45-minute exercise class, 10 minutes elliptical

Jan. 7- Dog walk with Bows****

Jan. 8- 60 minutes elliptical

Jan. 9- 60 minutes elliptical

Jan. 10- 35 minutes elliptical

Jan. 11- 25 minutes elliptical, card exercises*****

Jan. 12- 30 minutes elliptical

Jan. 13- rest day

Jan. 14- 30 minutes elliptical

Jan. 15- 30 minutes elliptical

Jan. 16- 60 minutes elliptical

Jan. 17- 20 minutes elliptical

Jan. 18-20 minutes elliptical

Jan. 19- rest day

Jan. 20- 45 minute exercise class

Jan. 21- rest day

Jan. 22- 60 minutes elliptical

Jan. 23- 30 minutes elliptical

Jan. 24- 30 minutes elliptical

Jan. 25- 45 minute exercise class

Jan. 26- 10 minutes elliptical

Jan. 27- 45 minute exercise class (tentative)

Jan. 28- Workout DVD****** (tentative)

Jan. 29-60 minutes elliptical (if it gets fixed...it's making some weird noises) (tentative)

Jan. 30-rest

Jan. 31- 45 minute exercise class (tentative)

(*I purchased a fairly inexpensive elliptical machine from Sears about 5 years ago and I go in spurts where I love it or hate it. Now that I have it facing the computer and television, I don't have an excuse not to use it.)

(**My friend Sara introduced me to an exercise class at her mom's church. It costs $10 per month and is full of great men/women who are all sizes/shapes. I look forward to it for the exercise, and it goes so quickly b/c we all like to chat.)

(***I have a pair of 5-lb. weights and 2-lb. weights that are super easy to travel with or do a quick 10-minute weight workout. )

(****Having a dog is great way to get healthy and how I dropped a bunch of weight after chemo. Bows requires walks--when it's warm enough to be outside--and it gets me moving.)

(*****My college roomie Betsy gave me a great gift: a deck of cards. Each suit represents a different exercise--hearts are lunges, diamonds are push-ups, spades are crunches, clubs are reverse crunches. Just do how many the card says like 2 of hearts is 2 lunges. Ace is a one minute break, jack-queen-king are all 10.)

(******I love workout dvds, because they are super quick. I have a few Jillian Michael's, and I love her 30-day shred and yoga dvds. I also have a Biggest Loser cardio max and a Bob one that's for strength training.)